Braves Bash Boston

Jun 19, 12:15 AM

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Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Brian McCann went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and knocked in four as Atlanta blitzed Boston, 9-4, in the first of a three-game interleague series at Turner Field.

Braves starter Chuck James (6-6) gave up five hits and two runs over 5 1/3 innings, fanning four and walking four. Five relievers combined to keep the Red Sox at bay the rest of the way.

"We had a great pitching performance from Chuck James," McCann said. "He was awesome. Our bullpen did an unbelievable job and that's how we win games."

Scott Thorman was 2-for-3 with a two-run shot and scored two runs for the Braves, who have won three of their last four. Edgar Renteria had three hits, scored twice and knocked in a run, and Chipper Jones picked up three hits and scored two times.

Curt Schilling (6-4) took the loss, allowing 10 hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings, walking a pair with no strikeouts. It was the first time in 348 starts that Schilling recorded no strikeouts dating back to a July 1, 1993 loss at St. Louis with Philadelphia.

"It's strange because it's not him, and I'm sure he would have preferred a different result but it's a long season," said Sox third baseman Mike Lowell of Schilling's performance.

Coco Crisp went 4-for-4 with two home runs for the Red Sox, whose three- game win streak came to an end. J.D. Drew added a solo homer, his fifth of the season.

A one-out solo homer by Crisp put the Sox up 1-0 in the second.

Atlanta answered in the third, as Thorman doubled, moved to third on James' sacrifice bunt and scored on Johnson's sac fly.

McCann's RBI double gave the Braves a 2-1 lead in the fourth, and James poked a base hit into left to score another run.

It was 6-1 for the Braves in the fifth when McCann belted a three-run home run with one out to end Schilling's night.

Crisp made it 6-2 in the sixth with his second solo homer of the game, then the Braves added another run in the home half on Renteria's RBI single.

Drew opened the seventh with a home run to the seats in right, but Thorman's two-run shot in the seventh pushed the Braves' lead to 9-3.

Dustin Pedroia scored the fourth and final run of the night for the Sox on a wild pitch by Macay McBride in the ninth.

"I thought our game was terrible today," said Lowell. "They swung the bats a lot better than we did, and it was a real blah game for us."

Game Notes

Despite the loss, Boston has won six of the last nine meetings, including two of three in the clubs' prior matchup at Fenway Park and a three-game sweep in Atlanta last season...Prior to the game, the Red Sox released pitcher J.C. Romero, who had been designated for assignment earlier in the month...James is 2-1 with a 4.42 ERA in three interleague starts...Crisp's last four-hit game came on September 11, 2005...Boston fell to 8-4 in interleague play, and Atlanta improved to 4-6 in interleague action...Attendance was 47,562.

06/18 23:30:38 ET